1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to tools used in installing carpets. More particularly, the invention relates to tools used in carpet seaming operations in which adjacent pieces of carpet are cemented to a common backing surface with a hot-melt adhesive in a manner intended to minimize the visibility of the resulting seam.
2. Description of Background Art
In the course of installing or laying carpets on the floors of residences, commercial or industrial buildings, it is frequently necessary to use more than one piece of carpeting to cover the desired floor space. Therefore, it is often necessary to join adjacent pieces of carpeting. This usually results in seams of substantial length.
From an aesthetic standpoint, it is almost always desired to minimize the visibility of carpet seams. The ideal appearance sought is that of continuous expanse of carpeting covering the entire floor area, with any seams being invisible. To produce invisible seams in carpeting, there are a number of procedures well known in the art.
In one commonly used method of laying two adjacent pieces of carpet together to form an invisible seam between the abutting straight edges of the two pieces of carpet, the following steps are performed. First, the two pieces of carpet are cut to size, with the edges to be joined cut in a straight line. The two pieces of carpet are then positioned in place with their straight edges abutting. Next, a length of carpet seaming tape is laid underneath the cut edges. Half of the width of the tape extends under one piece of carpet, while the other half of the tape extends under the adjacent piece of carpet. The carpet seaming tape has a tear resistant, fabric-like back and is coated on its upper surface with a hot-melt adhesive.
With a length of carpet seaming tape in place under the entire length of the edges of the carpet segments to be joined, the edges of the carpet at one end of the joint are folded upwards and away from the joint, exposing the carpet seaming tape below. A heat iron with an elongated flat rectangular bottom approximately as wide as the carpet seaming tape is then placed on the upper surface of the tape and pushed along the tape in the direction of the seam, forward from the rear edges of the carpet segments. The heat flowing from the heat iron to the carpet seaming tape raises the temperature of the hot-melt adhesive sufficiently to make it semi-liquid. With the adhesive in that state, it readily adheres to materials such as carpeting. Thus, at this time, the edges of adjacent carpet segments which were initially folded up and away from the carpet seaming tape may be folded back down into place onto the tacky upper surface of the carpet seaming tape. A downward pressure is then placed on the upper surfaces of the edges of the carpet segments, forcing the lower surfaces of the segments into intimate contact with the semi-liquid adhesive on the upper surface of the carpet seaming tape. When the adhesive cools, a tight bond forms between the lower surfaces of the carpet segments and the carpet seaming tape, and therefore between the carpet segment edges.
As has been mentioned, a downward pressure must be exerted on the upper surfaces of carpeting to make it adhere tightly to the tacky hot-melt adhesive on the upper surface of carpet seaming tape, which underlies the edges of the carpet to be joined. A heavy implement with a flat, smooth bottom surface is useful for this purpose.
In some carpet seaming operations, it is desired to intermingle fibers from adjacent edges of carpet segments to conceal the seam line. For this purpose, a roller having a number of parallel discs each having a plurality of evenly spaced spikes projecting radially outward from the disc is often used. The spiked roller is rolled back and forth along a previously cemented seam, teasing or pulling up the ends of fibers from adjacent carpet edges and intermingling them across the seam. This helps to create the appearance of a continuous, seamless carpet.
In performing the steps of melting adhesive on the carpet seaming tape, applying a downward pressure to the carpet edges, and teasing the seam with a spiked roller, carpet installers using presently available equipment encounter a number of problems. In working his way along the length of the joint line to form a seam, the installer usually has to travel a distance of many feet. Therefore, each of the tools and implements required for the carpet seaming operation must be dragged along with him, since they cannot be placed in a position accessible from all points along the seam.
Also, the installer must be careful to place the heat iron which he has used to melt adhesive on the carpet seaming tape in a location where liquid adhesive will not flow onto the carpet, and where the iron will not cause burns.
The present invention was conceived of in an effort to alleviate some of the aforementioned problems experienced in the installation and seaming of carpets.